Western Australian Rugby League
The National Rugby League Western Australia (NRLWA) is responsible for administering the game of rugby league football in the state of Western Australia.
Western Australian Rugby League | |
---|---|
Founded | 1948 |
Formerly named | Western Australian Amateur Rugby League[1] |
Responsibility | Western Australia |
Headquarters | nib Stadium, Pier Street, Perth |
Key people | John Sackson[2] (Chief Executive) |
Website | warugbyleague.com.au |
As of 20 April 2014 |
The NRLWA administers all forms of the game in Western Australia and runs the main Perth metropolitan competitions. This includes eleven clubs in the Perth metropolitan competition (seven fielding first grade) , sponsored as the Smarter than Smoking Premiership, as well as representative teams that compete in interstate competitions.
History
Formed in April 1948 as the Western Australian Amateur Rugby Football League, foundation clubs were Cottesloe, Fremantle, Perth and South Perth.[1]
The first interstate match played by Western Australians was against the South Australia in 1948, with WA winning the series 2-0.
In 1969 Darwin City invited the WARL to Darwin to play a match in celebration of Darwin's 100th founding anniversary in which WA won 23-19. In 1976 WA was invited to participate in the nationwide Amco Cup, where they defeated the Northern Territory 23-18.[1]
On 2 October 1982 to begin the 1982 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France, Western Australia played the Wally Lewis captained Australian Kangaroos in a match at the Cannington Raceway in Perth (on the same day the Australian test team played their first ever test match against Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby). Predictably the Kangaroos defeated WA 57-5, running in 13 tries to 1 with Parramatta Eels winger Eric Grothe, Sr. crossing for 4 tries.[3] The Australian team that day included players who would go on to be mainstays in the Australian test team over the next 5–10 years including Lewis, Grothe, Gene Miles, Steve Mortimer, Greg Conescu and Wayne Pearce as well as test veterans Rod Morris and Les Boyd.
NT toured again in 1981, 1983 & 1985 and since 2001 Western Australia has competed annually in the Affiliated States Championship, winning the most titles of any state.[1]
Club Football
The first tour game by an interstate club was in 1949 when Balmain Tigers , NSWRL, traveled to Perth. The first tour match by a club affiliated with the Queensland Rugby League was in 1985 when the Qld Country side played a match against the WA State Team. Further interstate club matches occurred in (see list above)
Following the demise of the Western Reds professional rugby league was lost to WA. The next match occurred in 1999 when the Western Suburbs Magpies hosted the Melbourne Storm in an NRL premiership match. Further premiership matches followed in 2005 when Cronulla Sharks hosted the New Zealand Warriors,[1] and in July 2013 when the South Sydney Rabbitohs hosted the New Zealand Warriors at NIB Stadium
Trial matches have also been played, with South Sydney Rabbitohs hosting Canterbury Bulldogs in the 2005 pre-season.[1]
National competition
The staging of New South Wales Rugby League premiership matches in the late 1980s and early 1990s led to a push for a Perth-based entry into the Australian Rugby League competition. In 1992 the Western Reds club was accepted into the national competition and would play its first season in 1995. The Reds would play in 1996 and in the Australian Super League in 1997 under the Perth Reds moniker.
Debt, issues surrounding the Super League war and formation of the National Rugby League led to the club being wound-up at the end of the 1997 season.
On 12 December 2006 the Australian Rugby League board accepted a proposal to establish a Western Australian Rugby League representative side to play in the NSWRL Jim Beam Cup for seasons 2008 & 2009, known as the WA Reds and played home matches at Perth Oval. In season 2010 the decision was made to enter the WA Reds team into the SG Ball Cup Under 18 competition. The season was a tough one with the 'Reds' finishing next to bottom of the ladder winning only their opening game of the season. The 2011 season saw the young Reds side improve their credentials finishing 13/18 with 3 wins from 9 matches for the season.
On 27 June 2012 the Western Australian Rugby League announced a new identity for its NRL entry bid. The West Coast Pirates has been released as the team name, with the logo a Pirate Skull over Crossed Cutlasses.
The announcement of this new bid identity is viewed as a longer term strategy for a Western Australian-based National Rugby League but as yet seems further from implementation than when first conceived many due to the NRL officially stating that will be no further expansion until 2017 to shore up its financially weak structure.
WARL competitions
Pilbara Rugby League
The Pilbara Rugby League is a six club competition in the north-west of Western Australia. The clubs are:[4]
- Karratha Broncos
- Karratha Roosters
- Karratha Storm
- Port Hedland Hawks
- South Hedland Cougars
- Wickham Wasps
WARL
The NRLWA, sponsored as the Smarter Than Smoking Premiership, is the premier rugby league football competition in the state. The majority of the Eleven clubs originate in the Perth metro area and both Fremantle and South Perth are foundation WARL clubs. Junior grades run from under 6's up to under 16's and senior competition is divided into six divisions, Men's First Grade, Reserve Grade, Third Grade and Under 19s, Women's Tackle and League Tag (Flag Belt).
Colours | Club | District | Ground | Founded | Junior Association |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fremantle Roosters* | Fremantle | Ken Allen Field | 1948 | Southern Pride | |
South Perth Lions* | South Perth | George Burnett Park | 1948 | Southern Pride | |
Kalamunda Bulldogs | Belmont | Hartfield Park | 1949 | Northern Fusion | |
North Beach Sea Eagles* | North Beach | Charles Riley Reserve | 1951 | Northern Fusion | |
Willagee Bears* | Willagee | Webber Reserve | 1962 | Southern Pride | |
Rockingham Coastal Sharks* | Rockingham | Lark Hill Sports Complex | 1988 | Southern Pride | |
Joondalup Giants* | Joondalup | Admiral Reserve | 1990 | Northern Fusion | |
Mandurah Storm | Mandurah | 2013 | South West Dolphins | ||
Ellenbrook Rabbitohs* | Ellenbrook | Charlottes Vinyard Pavillion | 2015 | Northern Fusion | |
Kwinana Wolves | Kwinana | Thomas Oval | 2015 | Southern Pride | |
Alkimos Tigers | Eglinton | Amberton Playing Fields | 2015 | Northern Fusion | |
Bussellton Broncos | Bussellton | Busselton Sportsmans Club | 2017 | South West Dolphins | |
Bunbury Titans | Bunbury | Hay Park Sports Complex | 2017 | South West Dolphins | |
Dalyellup Rhinos | Dalleyup | East Dalyellup Pavilion | 2017 | South West Dolphins | |
Eaton Panthers | Eaton | 2017 | South West Dolphins | ||
Albany Sea Dragons | Albany | 2019 | South West Dolphins |
* Denotes currently fielding a First Grade Team in the Smarter than Smoking Premiership
First Grade Premiers
Year | Club | Titles | |
---|---|---|---|
1948 | South Perth Lions | 1 | |
1949 | South Perth Lions | 2 | |
1950 | Fremantle Roosters | 1 | |
1951 | Perth* | 1 | |
1952 | South Perth Lions | 3 | |
1953 | South Perth Lions | 4 | |
1954 | South Perth Lions | 5 | |
1955 | Cottesloe Tigers* | 1 | |
1956 | Victoria Park Butchers | 1 | |
1957 | South Perth Lions | 6 | |
1958 | South Perth Lions | 7 | |
1959 | Victoria Park Butchers | 2 | |
1960 | Victoria Park Butchers | 3 | |
1961 | Fremantle Roosters | 2 | |
1962 | Victoria Park Butchers | 4 | |
1963 | Fremantle Roosters | 3 | |
1964 | Applecross Jets* | 1 | |
1965 | Applecross Jets* | 2 | |
1966 | Applecross Jets* | 3 | |
1967 | Applecross Jets* | 4 | |
1968 | Victoria Park Butchers | 5 | |
1969 | Applecross Jets* | 5 | |
1970 | Applecross Jets* | 6 | |
1971 | North Beach Sea Eagles | 1 | |
1972 | Applecross Jets* | 7 | |
1973 | South Perth Lions | 8 | |
1974 | North Beach Sea Eagles | 2 | |
1975 | South Perth Lions | 9 | |
1976 | Fremantle Roosters | 4 | |
1977 | Fremantle Roosters | 5 | |
1978 | Canning Bulldogs | 1 | |
1979 | Mosman-Cottesloe Tigers* | 2 | |
1980 | North Beach Sea Eagles | 3 | |
1981 | Fremantle/Mosman-Cottesloe* | 6/3 | |
1982 | South Perth Lions | 10 | |
1983 | South Perth Lions | 11 | |
1984 | North Beach Sea Eagles | 4 | |
1985 | North Beach Sea Eagles | 5 | |
1986 | Applecross Jets* | 8 | |
1987 | Belmont Steelers* | 1 | |
1988 | Belmont Steelers* | 2 | |
1989 | Belmont Steelers* | 3 | |
1990 | Canning Bulldogs | 2 | |
1991 | Canning Bulldogs | 3 | |
1992 | Applecross Jets* | 9 | |
1993 | Rockingham Raiders | 1 | |
1994 | Canning Bulldogs | 4 | |
1995 | Belmont Steelers* | 4 | |
1996 | South Perth Lions | 12 | |
1997 | Fremantle Roosters | 7 | |
1998 | North Beach Sea Eagles | 6 | |
1999 | Canning Bulldogs | 5 | |
2000 | Joondalup Giants | 1 | |
2001 | North Beach Sea Eagles | 7 | |
2002 | South Perth Lions | 13 | |
2003 | North Beach Sea Eagles | 8 | |
2004 | South Perth Lions | 14 | |
2005 | South Perth Lions | 15 | |
2006 | North Beach Sea Eagles | 9 | |
2007 | North Beach Sea Eagles | 10 | |
2008 | South Perth Lions | 16 | |
2009 | South Perth Lions | 17 | |
2010 | South Perth Lions | 18 | |
2011 | South Perth Lions | 19 | |
2012 | North Beach Sea Eagles | 11 | |
2013 | North Beach Sea Eagles | 12 | |
2014 | South Perth Lions | 20 | |
2015 | Fremantle Roosters | 8 | |
2016 | North Beach Sea Eagles | 13 | |
2017 | Fremantle Roosters | 9 | |
2018 | Fremantle Roosters | 10 | |
2019 | Fremantle Roosters | 11 | |
2020 | |||
* Denotes club dissolved and no longer exists
Notable WARL juniors competed in the NRL
- Russell Addison (1960-61 South Sydney Rabbitohs)
- Brian Wedgewood (1967-70 Canterbury Bulldogs)
- Jon Grieve (1991-97 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles & Western Reds)
- Jon Green (2006-13 Canterbury Bulldogs, St George Illawarra & Cronulla Sharks)[5]
- Bryson Goodwin (2007-20 Cronulla Sharks, Canterbury Bulldogs & South Sydney Rabbitohs)[6] l
- Bronx Goodwin (2007-12 Canberra Raiders, Cronulla Sharks & St George Illawarra)[6]
- Cory Paterson (2007-14 Newcastle Knights, North Queensland Cowboys & Wests Tigers)[7]
Canning Bulldogs
- Luke Goodwin (1992-99 Canterbury Bulldogs, Penrith Panthers, Western Reds & Western Suburbs Magpies)[6]
- Daniel Holdsworth (2004-14 Cronulla Sharks, St George Illawarra & Canterbury Bulldogs)[8]
- Jarrad Millar (1997 Western Reds)
Belmont Steelers
- Matt Petersen (2002-08 Parramatta Eels, North Queensland Cowboys & Gold Coast Titans)
- Lee Te Maari (2006-10 St George Illawarra, Canterbury Bulldogs & Parramatta Eels)[9]
- Curtis Rona (2014–18 North Queensland Cowboys, Canterbury Bulldogs)[10]
- Waqa Blake (2015-20 Penrith Panthers, Parramatta Eels)[11]
- Anneka Taia-Stephens (2018- St George-Illawarra Dragons)
- Shanice Parker (2015- Australian Jillaroos)
- Chance Peni (2013-16 Newcastle Knights, Wests Tigers)
- Royce Hunt (2016-20 Canberra Raiders, Cronulla)
- Jordan Pererira (2018-20 St George Illawarra Dragons)
South Headland Cougars
- Ilaisaane Finau (2015- Australian Jillaroos)
See also
References
- "WARL – Our History". Western Australian Rugby League. Retrieved 2 December 2009.
- "WA Rugby League Staff Members". Western Australian Rugby League. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
- 1982 Western Australia vs Australia at Rugby League Project
- "Pilbara Rugby League". Retrieved 15 September 2012.
- Barrows, Tim (10 February 2010). "Jon Green embarks on Perth with Dragons". The Age. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
- Taylor, Nick (2 June 2015). "Goodwin chasing win for Souths and softer landing". The West Australian. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- Proszenko, Adrian (8 July 2007). "How a Brave Dad and dead uncle spurs this young knight to chase dreams of glory". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
- Forrest, Brad (6 March 2014). "DJ looks set for chance in halves". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
- Webeck, Tony (18 April 2014). "Roosters trash a Cowboy". NRL.com. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
- Stewart, Antony (22 April 2014). "North Queensland Cowboys Perth Product Curtis Rona strengthens West Coast Pirates NRL expansion case". Townsville Bulletin. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
- Walshaw, Nick (26 April 2015). "Waqa Blake a Future State of Origin Star". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 April 2015.